How to Exercise on a Plane

If you are planning on taking a long flight, there are a number of exercises that you can do to help prevent swelling, calf pain and the fatigue that comes with traveling a long way. Performing simple exercises on the plane can also help prevent blood clots from forming.

Items Needed

• Tennis ball


• Water bottles

Exercises

• Prevent the muscles in your neck from getting tired and sore by doing a neck roll. To do this, touch your chin to your chest and roll your head from one shoulder to the other shoulder, being careful not to roll it backwards.


• Give your arms a mini-workout by doing shoulder shrugs in your seat. To do shoulder shrugs, lift your shoulders up to your ears and lower them back down. You can repeat these as many times as you wish.


• Work the muscles in your hands by squeezing a tennis ball or a stress ball in each hand until they get tired.


• Hold two bottles of water as if they are hand weights, and raise them up towards your shoulders as though you were lifting weights.


• Do leg lifts to work the muscles in your legs. Starting with your feet flat on the floor, slowly lift your legs up towards your chest, and hold them there for a few seconds before lowering them again.


• Place your feet flat on the floor and raise your heels off of the ground. Lower your heels back to the ground and repeat the same exercise several times to help stretch your calf muscles.


• Perform simple foot exercises by wiggling your toes and rotating your feet in a clockwise motion.


• Take small breaks when you are allowed to get out of your seat, and walk up and down the aisle of the plane several times.